Enough is enough

Summerside council wants something done with vacant properties, including possibly raising taxes on them

Summerside City Council is so frustrated with vacant buildings in the community that it has directed its staff to research a special tax rate for them.

Two properties, in particular, landed in the crosshairs during Tuesday night’s committee of council meeting: the former Summerset Manor and the former Holland College building.

The Holland College building, which is off Granville Street, has been vacant for more than a decade and is currently owned by a private developer, while the former manor at 205 Lefurgey Ave., has been closed since 2012 and is still owned by the provincial government.

Though both buildings were discussed Tuesday, it was the former manor that drew the most fire from councillors as it is still in the public domain.

“We’ve had more than enough patience,” said Coun. Brent Gallant, regarding the provincially owned building.

“What do we have to do in Summerside to get this taken care of?”

Gallant made the suggestion that other communities have imposed higher taxes on problem properties with vacant structures in an effort to pressure owners to develop or tear down.

Council ended up passing a motion requesting staff look into its options in that regard.

The former manor has been slowly working its way through the provincial divestiture process for some time. The province had issued a request for proposals on the property, but nothing has come of it.

The manor’s fate was discussed in the provincial legislature on Friday when Summerside – Wilmot MLA Chris Palmer asked Infrastructure Minister Paula Biggar for an update on efforts to find a buyer.

Palmer asked specifically if there have been any recent inquiries.

Biggar replied that there have been ongoing discussions with developers and that her department is “waiting to hear back from some of those interested parties.”

In an interview Monday, Palmer said that he has the made finding a developer for the old manor a personal priority.

“I’m calling every developer I can find to get into that building to take a look and see I they can do something with it,” he said.

“I think it’s a great property and I think it should be utilized to its full potential.”

He remains hopeful, he said, that a developer can be found.

That may be, but in the meantime Summerside will be examining its next move on the file.